00 



JPlg. £>. 



00 



270 Suggestion in regard to Crystallization. 



brought into closer proximity, as, for example, india-rubber, 

 glass, plates of metal, and numerous substances may be made 

 to unite on their parts being pushed into sufficient nearness 

 by an adequate pressure. Fig. 2 may serve to represent 

 two ring molecules, pushed into such proxi- Fig. 2. 



mity that their adjacent parts are slightly 

 bent and flattened, but the surface of contact 

 is not yet sufficient to afford shelter enough 

 to satisfy the condition that the impulsive 

 tendency of approach can predominate over the (contrary) 

 repellent action due to elasticity of form {i. e. the tendency 

 of the rings to preserve their normal circular shape). The 

 rings accordingly bound back (repel) directly the artificial 

 pressure is removed*. Fig. 3 may serve to ™ o 



illustrate the case where the ring molecules 

 have been previously pushed into such proxi- 

 mity, that the bending and flattening of the 

 contiguous surfaces has gone far enough to 

 increase the shelter to such an extent that the impulsive ten- 

 dency to approach can predominate over the residual elasticity 

 of form, and so the molecules are impelled closer together (the 

 shelter increasing with the contiguity of parts). The sudden 

 flying of some substances into fragments (such as badly an- 

 nealed glass for instance), under certain conditions, where the 

 elastic ring molecules would be in a state of strain, and per- 

 haps nearly at the point at which they would naturally spring 

 apart in virtue of their elasticity of form, may perhaps serve 

 as rather a confirming illustration of this view. 



The writer at least ventures to think that the points dealt 

 with may not be without interest or unworthy of attention, on 

 account of the simplicity of the premises, by w r hich some degree 

 of insight would seem to be afforded into certain interesting 

 but obscure phenomena, and under physical conditions that 

 could not of themselves be said to be independently improbable, 

 and which are even supported by some inductions and obser- 

 vations of modern science. Any light whatever that these 

 premises might be capable of throwing on obscure facts might 

 then legitimately be regarded as some additional confirmation 

 of the validity of the premises, which themselves have been 

 inferred on independent grounds. 



The conception of elastic f molecules (rendered necessary by 



* No doubt (in addition) the vibration of the ring molecules also plays 

 a part here, as molecules are known to become completely dissociated by 

 excessive increase of vibrating energy (at extreme temperatures). 



t The conception of molecules of open structure (itself probable) would 

 be fundamentally the only other hypothesis required to suit the above 

 conditions. 



